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Osun Food Support Scheme: We’ve engaged over 50 SMEs, says Oyetola
The Adegboyega Oyetola -led Osun state government on Tuesday disclosed that it has successfully engaged over 50 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) since the introduction of its Food Support Scheme one year ago.
The state government noted that the impact of the scheme that was introduced to provide food support to vulnerable residents, has been very holistic and greatly felt by different sectors of the State’s economy.
Marking a year anniversary of the existence of the scheme with the flag-off of the 12th edition which was held at the open space of the Local Government Service Commission, State Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, the government said the initiative has helped to feed no fewer than 360,000 vulnerable residents with the multiplier effects on over one million people constituting various households that had benefited in one way or the other since the inception of the programme last year.
Speaking at the flagoff ceremony of the 12th edition of the programme, Governor Oyetola said the positive impact of the scheme on the economy of the state cannot be over-emphasized as it had helped to stimulate the economy through the promotion of local production, encouragement of local entrepreneurs and by extension, alleviation of poverty and hunger.
Governor Oyetola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prince Wole Oyebamiji added that the government was fulfilled in the execution of the programme as promised on monthly basis saying its sustenance had in no small measure contributed to the growth of the local economy.
“Exactly a year ago when we launched the monthly Food Support Scheme, a lot of people were skeptical about its sustenance and doubt that the programme would last for three months. But to the glory of God and in line with our promise that as long as I remain the Governor of the State, we will continue to feed 30,000 vulnerable citizens, we are here to mark the 12th edition of the scheme.
“Consequently, we decided to distribute gari as we did last month to boost local production and encourage our local entrepreneurs. When we are talking of agriculture, when you produce and there is nowhere to sell, you will not assist the economy of the State, so, I am sure that our cassava farmers today are happier than they were five months ago .
“What we are doing is the essence of government and what good governance stands for, people must be happy with the government and the best way to achieve that is to ensure economic base that is why our government has been working hard to build a better economic base for the development of the people of Osun and advancement of the State.
“Since we commenced the programme, the level of acceptance and feedback has been very unimaginable as being demonstrated so far by many of those that have benefitted in one way or the other from the initiative. As you can see, women have been extremely involved in the scheme, take for instance, in the production of gari, women play dominant role and don’t be surprised that there are women farmers who cultivate cassava too in this state because if you go through the Ministry of Agriculture, there is a unit for women in agriculture and they are extremely doing very well.
“So, women play a key role. In other clime, women are highly illustrious, they are industrious and they are intellectually based. I advice them not to take agriculture for granted so also our young ones, there are programmes and policies that have been designed to support whoever shows interest in farming”, Governor Oyetola said.
Also commenting, the state’s Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Engr. Olalekan Badmus, said the execution of the initiative has been very participatory, collective and holistic.
Badmus noted that the scheme had brought a paradigm shift to local production just as it had really helped to advance and promote the cause of local entrepreneurs who were hitherto not fully engaged.
He stressed that the testimonies received through the feedback mechanism provided to assess and evaluate the impact of the scheme has been very encouraging to the extent that people have keyed into the little opportunity provided to galvanise, stimulate and lubricate the economy of the State for the growth, progress and development of the State.
“Going by the 11th edition that we did, you can see that the level of appreciation was very good and basically the feed back has been very encouraging as this had helped in no measure to surge up the level of productions by the suppliers.
“You will agree with me that so far, we have done 360,000 households and the implication of this is that most of these households have father, mother and children and what this implies is that over one million lives have been impacted through this scheme.
“So, this is enormous and it is only in Osun you can talk of this people-oriented programme. The impact has been well felt and people appreciate it and they are also aware of what Mr. Governor has been doing to reach out to the people particularly the vulnerable citizens.
“So far, we have been able to engage 50 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMSEs). We are happy to have made this feat within one year particularly on gari production, because we have been able to show that consistently, our local entrepreneurs can produce the product.
“This has helped them to expand their business, get more patronage through the awareness we have created for them among other advantages.
“Basically, this has been very impactful to them and I am sure this is going to improve the SMEs in the State particularly women entrepreneurs, because from the investigation we have done, women are largely involve in the production of most of the local staple foods”, he added.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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